The Tassel, Phelps County Center for the Performing Arts is located in Holdrege, Nebraska. There are 818 fixed seats and 26 portable seats in the main theater. Professional arts programs at the Tassel are managed by the Tassel Coordination Council, Inc., a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, along with an executive director hired by the Council. The Council strives to promote better understanding of, appreciation for, and attendance at arts events, believing that art has the power to energize and transform lives, and that a strong cultural element is important for a thriving community and a forward-looking population.
Upon its completion, the Tassel building was gifted to the Holdrege Public Schools, which also regularly utilizes the space for student performing and visual arts presentations, handles building maintenance, and in cooperation with the Tassel director makes the facility available as a rental for appropriate public and private events.
The Tassel is a stunning example of what can happen when people come together to work toward a common goal. Funding to build the state-of-the-art facility was raised entirely from private donations over more than a decade, and the building finally became a reality in 1999 through the collaborative efforts and generous donations of “time, talent, and treasure” by many area citizens, the Phelps County Community Foundation, and the Holdrege Public Schools board of directors. Designed by professional architects with long experience in theatrical facilities, one of the hallmarks of the Tassel is its superb acoustics: there is not a “bad seat” in the house. Facility amenities also include a beautiful two-level lobby and two-level auditorium with elevator access, professional lighting and sound systems, full counterweight fly system, stage and loading dock at ground level, four dressing rooms with lighted makeup mirrors, backstage showers and a “green room” where performers warm up before shows. The stage is approximately 100 feet wide by 34 feet deep with a 50 foot proscenium opening. The facility was built in full compliance with ADA standards.
